Mired in Mediocrity: How Long Do You Give A Coach?

I know, I know.
The football season is over.
I should just move on to basketball and see if that gets any better than last season.
I shouldn't spew any more about Twin Lakes football.
But...
*BUZZER*
Sorry, I have to.
So, if you came to this blog thinking I was going to write a light-hearted story on the basketball outlook, or Logansport basketball, or shoot even Purdue basketball and how good it's looking without Robbie Hummel...yeah those can wait til later.
THIS IS IMPORTANT.
How long, Twin Lakes?
How long are you going to give a coach who is clearly putting the football program back into mediocrity?
At least during my time as a student, Twin Lakes was relevant in Class 3A. Twin Lakes was a team that Hoosier conference opponents and other schools actually FEARED. Whenever a team like West Lafayette or Rensselaer came into the Reservation, they were expecting a knock-down, drag-out, beat-you-into-the-grass type of game.
But now it's like Twin Lakes has turned into styrofoam.
What was once a dragon is now a goldfish. It's something you want to flush down the toilet after a couple of weeks.
No one, I repeat, NO ONE is intimidated by Twin Lakes football anymore.
Especially not the last four years, when Brad Urban has failed to develop talent and left each season with a losing record and a first-round sectional defeat.
The only exceptions being his first season in 2006 (I really don't count that though; he did go 7-3 but that was mostly with Coach Hay's previous class) and then the following year which still had a losing regular season but the team somehow won 2 sectional games only to lose in the final to Western.
Of course they lost to Western!
Western is always good!
Know why?
They probably have a coach that can develop STINKING FOOTBALL TALENT!
With apologies to Bill Nye, consider the following:
*Urban is 21-31 in five years with the Indians. Do the math; that's below 50 percent.
*Records the last four years: 5-7, 2-8, 4-6, 3-7. That equates to 14-28 over the past 4 seasons...do the math, 33 percent winning percentage.
*The Indians have not won a sectional game since the 2007 season. The scores of the last 3 opening losses: 50-20, 32-7, 38-7. Do the math and that's a combined beatdown of 120-34.
*The Indians have not won a Hoosier Conference title under Urban's direction (obviously). The last came in 2005.
*The Indians are 0-4 against Logansport under Urban's direction. Why do they play the Berries again?
*Quick, name who else Urban has never beaten from the Hoosier Conference over the past four seasons.
*Give up? The answers: Rensselaer and West Lafayette. Where did they finish in the conference this year?
*Yep, 1st and 2nd. Surprised? I'm not.
*Urban's longest winning streak over the last four seasons? Three games. THREE.
*Urban's longest losing streak over the last four seasons? SEVEN GAMES. SEVEN!
So let me explain all of this and piece it together.
No winning seasons the last four years.
A losing streak longer than a winning streak.
Three consecutive sectional opening round losses by huge margins.
Going from a 3A, Hoosier Conference powerhouse that everyone fears to a pushover.
All because of a coach that fails to develop talent and makes play calls that make Danny Hope and the Purdue offense look pleasing to watch.
What happened to "next man up", Brad Urban?
Don't give me the excuse that Dylan McKay wasn't available for most of this season. I already wrote a whole sphiel on how Twin Lakes messed THAT one up.
You have to have every player ready for every play, no matter what.
You have to have a gameplan for every opponent, and one that you know will work.
You cannot second guess ANYTHING.
I don't know if I can pinpoint the mediocrity to one thing, many things, or Urban himself.
But he's the coach. And coaches are ultimately held responsible.
It's like the Dallas Cowboys. They no longer wanted to be mediocre with a 1-7 record, so they fired Wade Phillips mid-season. And he really hadn't been great in seasons past.
It's like Minnesota this year. They no longer wanted to be mediocre with a 1-9 record, so they fired Tim Brewster this season. Brewster had done NOTHING for the program since he took over. Not even a winning record. 6-6 was his best year, and they lost the bowl games he took part in. Sorry, Tim, but Minnesota is no Central Catholic.
It's like EVERY OTHER situation with a professional or college franchise. They want fans in the seats every night, because they want them to come out and see a competitive team with a chance to at least put up a winning record and 100% effort every night.
But with Twin Lakes football, this is not happening.
Period.
So I know we're about ready to dive into basketball season - and who knows - this year's Indians team might surprise and actually be better than the past couple seasons, which have also been difficult.
But I ask you Twin Lakes fans, alumnus, boosters, parents, and especially the players - are you willing to be mired in mediocrity? Or is somebody going to pull the trigger and say enough is enough?
Until that day comes, I'll keep ranting, raving, and simply laughing while Twin Lakes football is trying to pull its feet from the muck and continues to slowly sink in its own quicksand.
How long will you give him, Twin Lakes?
How long?